Stories From Global Lutheranism

In an engaging and accessible style, Martin J. Lohrmann introduces readers to fascinating glimpses of faith, courage, and love in action within the global Lutheran community that now numbers over 70 million members in churches worldwide. He shows how Lutheranism is a much more diverse and global expression of the Christian tradition than most realize. This matches the expansive view of the church universal that the Reformers held when they presented the Augsburg Confession in 1530. As Philipp Melanchthon put it, the church "consists of people scattered throughout the entire world who agree on the gospel and have the same Christ, the same Holy Spirit, and the same sacraments, whether or not they have the same human traditions." Although Lutheranism first grew and spread in central and northern Europe, some of the most vibrant Lutheran communities are now in Africa and Asia. There are more Lutherans in Tanzania than in Sweden, and more Lutherans in Indonesia than in Norway. The single largest Lutheran church body in the world is the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus, with over 8 million members and a focus on caring for the whole person. Outside of Europe, Namibia is the only country with a majority Lutheran population. Lutheran members of the global body of Christ have much to learn from and share with one another. The book largely follows the subjects listed in the Timeline of Global Lutheranism that Lohrmann created for Lutheran Quarterly Journal to commemorate the 500-year anniversary of the Protestant Reformation.

As profound as Martin Luther's ideas are, this giant of church history was concerned above all with practical instruction for daily Christian living. Harvesting Martin Luther's Reflections highlights this concern of Luther, mining his thought in key areas of doctrine, ethics, and church practice. Gathering noteworthy contributions by well-known Luther scholars from Europe and the Americas, this book ranges broadly over theological questions about baptism and righteousness, ethical issues like poverty and greed, and pastoral concerns like worship and spirituality. There are even rare discussions of Luther's perspective on marriage and on Islam. As a result, Harvesting Martin Luther's Reflections is both a state-of-the-art discussion of Lutheran themes and an excellent introduction for newcomers to Luther's work.

In a clear, nontechnical way, this noted Reformation historian tells the story of how the nascent reforming and confessional movement sparked and led by Martin Luther survived its first battles with religious and political authorities to become institutionalized in its religious practices and teachings. Gritsch then traces the emergence of genuine consensus at the end of the sixteenth century, followed by the age of Lutheran Orthodoxy, the great Pietist reaction, Lutheranisms growing diversification during the Industrial Revolution, its North American expansion, and its increasingly global and ecumenical ventures in the last century.

This textbook explores the Lutheran theological tradition. Kirsi Stjerna looks at Lutheran sources, vocabulary and focal points through the lens of the Augsburg Confession and the Large Catechism, developing a distinctive Lutheran faith language that resonates with contemporary contexts and inquirers. Lutheran Theology gives students the tools they need to understand Lutheran perspectives in the light of historical sources, to see the underlying motivations of past theological discourses and to apply this knowledge to current debates. Introducing the Book of Concord and Martin Luther's freedom theology, it shows them how to engage critically and constructively with key topics in theology and spirituality, such as freedom and confession. Stjerna pays particular attention to the contribution of women theologians, and empowers students to bring Lutheran theology into conversation with other faith languages and traditions. This textbook includes an extensive range of pedagogical features: - A discussion guide for each chapter - Chapter-specific learning objectives - Key terms in bold, boxed text sections that identify points of debate, discussion of central topics, study questions and a glossary

Rather than asking if theology is theoretical or practical -- a question that reveals a fundamental lack of understanding about the nature of theology in general -- it is better to ask "What exactly is theology?" It is this question that Oswald Bayer attempts to answer in Theology the Lutheran Way, clearing up misconceptions about the essence of theology. Along with Luther himself, Bayer claims that theology, rather than being something that we do, is really what God does. Based primarily on the third section of Bayer's original German work of the same title, this book evaluates certain approaches to theology that have been influential, from Schleiermacher's understanding of theology to debates with Kant, Hegel, and Bultmann. It also includes a substantial section on Luther from the original in order to clarify the Lutheran tradition.

In the five hundred years since the publication of Martin Luther's Ninety- Five Theses, a rich set of traditions have grown up around that action and the subsequent events of the Reformation. This up-to-date dictionary by leading theologians and church historians covers Luther's life and thought, key figures of his time, and the various traditions he continues to influence. Prominent scholars of the history of Lutheran traditions have brought together experts in church history representing a variety of Christian perspectives to offer a major, cutting-edge reference work. Containing nearly six hundred articles, this dictionary provides a comprehensive overview of Luther's life and work and the traditions emanating from the Wittenberg Reformation. It traces the history, theology, and practices of the global Lutheran movement, covering significant figures, events, theological writings and ideas, denominational subgroups, and congregational practices that have constituted the Lutheran tradition from the Reformation to the present day.

Despite the enormous impact of the Lutheran Reformation on Christianity and the world, few books explore the history of the Lutheran church. This volume assembles leading experts on each century of Lutheranism to provide an overview of the history of the Lutheran church. From Martin Luther to the present day, from Germany to a global church, this volume traces the theological developments, missionary endeavors, educational institutions, and overall life of the Lutheran church through the centuries. Readers will gain an understanding of the broad sweep of Lutheranism along with resources for detailed studies of key figures and movements. While surveying all of Lutheranism, the book primarily follows the course of confessional Lutherans. Anyone interested in the history of Lutheranism will find this volume to be a great introduction, and a great resource in the classroom.

What are the strengths, weaknesses, challenges, and opportunities for Lutheran theology and the Lutheran church around the world? Contributors from around the world explore issues of helping leaders in the contemporary church understand the shifting ground of Lutheranism in the twenty-first century.